Goal-free evaluation ( GFE ) is any evaluation in which the evaluator conducts the evaluation without particular knowledge of or reference to stated or predetermined goals and objectives. This external evaluation model typically consists of an independent evaluator who is intentionally screened from the program's stated goals and objectives in hopes of reducing potential goal-related tunnel vision . According to Scriven, the logic behind avoiding stated goals and objectives has to do with "finding out what the program is actually doing without being cued as to what it is trying to do. If the program is achieving its stated goals and objectives, then these achievements should show up; if not, it is argued, they are irrelevant". The goal-free evaluator attempts to observe and measure all actual outcomes, effects, or impacts, intended or unintended, all without being cued to the program's intentions.As Popham analogizes, "As you can learn from any baseball pitcher who has set out in the first inning to pitch a shutout , the game's final score is the thing that counts, not good intentions".
17-680: GFE may refer to: Goal-free evaluation GeForce Experience General Further Education , in the United Kingdom and Ireland Girlfriend experience , a type of sex work Glenferrie railway station , in Victoria, Australia Good faith estimate Government-Furnished Equipment, a term of art for equipment furnished by the US Federal government to fulfill contract obligations under Federal Acquisition Regulations Guinness Flavour Extract , used in
34-403: A full GFE, the evaluator is goal-free throughout the duration of the evaluation. A partial GFE begins goal-free but at some point, during the evaluation, the evaluator learns the stated goals and objectives. In a recent attempt to further articulate general principles for guiding the goal-free evaluator, Youker proposed the following principles: Youker formualated GFE dos and don'ts for
51-467: A profile of demonstrated needs in this region of education." (1972, p.1) Scriven's work in education influenced the work of many scholars, including that of Robert E. Stake , Ernest R. House , Benjamin Bloom , and Gene V Glass . He wrote over 400 scholarly publications and served on the editorial review boards of 42 journals. Scriven received numerous awards, including: In 2012, an article published in
68-431: A transdiscipline. In 1971, he called for the replacement of 'goal achievement' in evaluation with the evaluation of whether a programme is able to meet the needs of its intended beneficiaries. "It seemed to me, in short, that consideration and evaluation of goals was an unnecessary but also a possibly contaminating step. I began to work on an alternative approach – simply, the evaluation of actual effects against (typically)
85-415: Is different from Wikidata All article disambiguation pages All disambiguation pages Goal-free evaluation Goal-free evaluation is not a comprehensive stand-alone evaluation model; rather it is considered either a perspective or position concerning an evaluator's goal orientation throughout an evaluation, or a technique or tool for evaluating without referencing goals. Scriven claims GFE
102-405: Is methodologically neutral, which means that it can be used or adapted for use with several other evaluation approaches, models, and methods as long as the other approaches do not mandate goal orientation. Youker and Ingraham summarize GFE's benefits as: There are really only two methodological requirements of GFE. The first is that the goal-free evaluator be external from and independent of
119-420: Is not advocated as a standalone evaluation approach. GFE is used as a supplement to goal-based evaluations strategies. Third, GFE may be efficient in assessing outcomes, as the evaluator casts a broad net in search for outcomes. Fourth GFE disregards the opinions and goals of certain stakeholder groups, for example, the administrators, designers, and funders. As there no standardized or manualized methodology for
136-679: The University of Melbourne , where he was in residence at Trinity College from 1946, winning an entrance scholarship. He then completed a doctorate in philosophy from the University of Oxford (1956). Scriven was a president of the American Educational Research Association and the American Evaluation Association . He was also an editor and co-founder of the Journal of MultiDisciplinary Evaluation/ . He
153-577: The Journal of MultiDisciplinary Evaluation posed the necessity of a Scriven number. Similar to an Erdős number , a Scriven number describes a person's degree of separation from Dr. Scriven through published collaborations directly with him or with others who have collaborated with him. Michael Scriven held the unique Scriven number of 0 while any persons publishing directly with him hold a Scriven number of 1. In addition, those who have published with those individuals who have directly published with Dr. Scriven hold
170-511: The evaluator and the program people to eliminate goal-oriented communications and documents before they reach the goal-free evaluator. The screener does not require extensive training; the screener should, however, have a basic understanding of GFE's purpose and methodology and be relatively familiar with the organization and its program to be able to identify program goals and objectives. There are two types of GFE evaluations that are used. The first type being when an evaluator intentionally avoids
187-401: The process, which listed below. Best practice entails: These actions are to be avoided: Michael Scriven first introduced the concept of GFE in the 1970s. According to Youker, Ford, and Bayer, following GFE's introduction, there was moderate interest use of the technique. Following its introduction, the uptake has slowed; interest has waned, leaving few practitioners. In the 2000s, there
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#1732851806921204-478: The production of Guinness Foreign Extra Stout Topics referred to by the same term [REDACTED] This disambiguation page lists articles associated with the title GFE . If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change the link to point directly to the intended article. Retrieved from " https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=GFE&oldid=1231089266 " Category : Disambiguation pages Hidden categories: Short description
221-412: The program and its upstream stakeholders (program funders, designers, administrators, managers, staff, volunteers, vendors, etc.); the second is that someone be appointed a goal screener. A screener is an impartial party (i.e., someone who is not assigned to GFE design or data collection), such as an administrative assistant , a third party, or even the evaluation client. The screener intervenes between
238-490: The stated goal and objectives by taking special precautions. For example, the evaluation may take special precautions to hire goal-screeners who play the role as a liaison between the evaluator and the client. This helps with reducing bias because it allows the outcomes speak for themselves. The second type is goal-dismissive. A goal dismissive evaluator simply disregards the goals and objectives, instead of using special precautions to avoid it. GFE can be full and partial. During
255-565: The use of GFE, assessment of the quality of its administration is difficult. Michael Scriven Michael John Scriven ( / ˈ s k r ɪ v ən / ; 28 March 1928 – 28 August 2023) was a British-born Australian polymath and academic philosopher, best known for his contributions to the theory and practice of evaluation. Scriven was born in the UK and grew up in Melbourne , Australia. He held BSc (1948) and MS (1950) degrees in mathematics from
272-471: Was a small resurgence of interest in GFE. In a literature search of GFE from 1972 to 2012, Youker and Ingraham (2013) uncovered roughly a score of evaluators who purport to have conducted a GFE or others identified them as having conducted a GFE. GFE has identified limitations. First, GFE is not appropriate in every circumstance. For example, when a client is solely interested in examining goal attainment. Second, it
289-519: Was latterly a distinguished professor at Claremont Graduate University in California. He spent most of his career in the United States. He became a full Professor at the age of 32. His major appointments were: Scriven made significant contributions in the fields of philosophy, psychology , critical thinking , mathematics, and, most notably, evaluation theory and the establishment of evaluation as
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